One Day at a Time
by MagicxMusicxMelody
Summary: Holidays: fun for the consumer, horrifying for the worker. And Runo's working nonstop at the diner this time of the year. Now it all depends on how Dan plans on helping her get away from first-day horrors. Oneshot.


**8th oneshot! 2nd DanxRuno! This one's centered around the holiday wave of people as they go out shopping, eating, etc. It may be fun on the consumers, but terribly stressful on the workers. I felt the need to express that. It's a combination of BBC's Epic Trials Weeks 25 and 35 from the Bakugan Battle Club combined. It's pretty long, but pretty sweet, too. I just realized it's kind of like Only Today, but not that much.**

* * *

"I'm late!"

Runo slid down the banister of the stairs straight down to the end of the diner counter after getting ready in the bathroom. She washed her hands a second time in the downstairs kitchen and carried the stacks of short boxes on shelves outside. Customers gathered around the counter, at the door, and in the tables.

Dan and Shun walked in at the same time. While Shun went to use the restroom, Dan walked over and spoke to Runo. "Somebody's really busy this morning."

"As if you'll ever be as busy as me in your entire life. Can you get me my apron on the hook next to the calendar?"

"Sure." He located the calendar behind the counter and ran over. Lifting the apron up from the hook, Dan glanced at the calendar, and his eyes widened. "Lifting up the sheet for November already? All that red in splattering the entire month of December makes my eyes hurt. Here."

"Thank you. The boxes, please?" As Dan lifted the boxes off Runo's hands onto the counter, Runo grabbed and tied on the apron. "Well, that's because you don't understand. Those marks means everything to me but nothing at all to you." Then she separated the boxes into piles. "What brings you here this early?"

"Shun and I wanted to come over for breakfast, but I guess we won't be your first priority, huh?"

Runo stopped organizing the boxes and crossed her arms. "Really, Dan? Since when have I put you guys as _not_ my first priority? Shun, maybe, since he knows what he's doing all the time, but you're completely clueless! Tell me what you guys want for breakfast, and I'll make it right now. My parents can deal with the holiday wave."

Once Shun came back, Dan flipped through a menu on the counter. "Dude, what're you getting?"

"Already messaged my order to Runo minutes ago."

Runo tilted her head in surprise, and Dan stared at Shun with his mouth wide open. "What? Since when?"

"Like I said, minutes ago. Don't worry. In case you're feeling jealous, I also message Runo what Alice wanted."

"Okay, _now_ you're seriously confusing me." Runo pulled out her phone and checked her messages. "Oh crap."

"What?" both guys asked at once.

"I left my phone on 'silent' and completely missed all these messages sent earlier, including yours, Shun."

"Really? That's terrible." he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "You should go back to work. I can wait."

"For _Alice_. But I can't."

"Well then, _Dan_. Help me with breakfast then." Runo shoved a waist apron at Dan.

"Fine. Besides, I want to try making my own food for once."

"Oohh...coming out of your mouth."

Shun chuckled as he watched he watched Runo and Dan bicker into their way into the kitchen. He turned to the side and saw Alice coming in. "There you are! What took you so long?" Then he planted his a kiss on her forehead, but Alice quickly rubbed it away in embarrassment.

"There's a traffic jam down the street. Police officers had to detour everyone, vehicles and people, so the construction workers can install the new Christmas tree." She glanced around the room. "Where's Runo? And Dan?"

"Making breakfast. I'm serious. Can you imagine Dan making his own breakfast?"

"Pretty sure Dan only knows how to make sandwiches..."

"Exactly." Shun sent another message to Runo and Dan and then showed Alice the message he sent to Runo earlier. "I already told Runo what we want to eat. Should we go see that new Christmas tree?"

"I guess, from a distance."

Shun shrugged his shoulders and planted another kiss on her forehead. "Let's go."

**MxMxM**

Dan stood back from the metal counter and crossed his arms, staring at his 'creation' triumphantly. "How did I do?"

"What did you make, a sandwich?"

"No! Why do you always say that?! I made a mushroom-cilantro omelet. Look."

Runo was busy pulling plastic wrap to cover boxes of pies. "Yeah, I can see it from here. I already finished eating half of what I made for myself _and_ put Shun's and Alice's orders aside to keep warm. Shoot, I need more plastic wrap."

Dan grabbed a box from above and put his hand out. "Here."

"Thanks." Runo ran over to get the box but tripped on a stain halfway. Good thing Dan was there to catch her in time. "Oh god, that was really scary. Thanks, Dan."

"No problem. Don't run in a kitchen ever again, _ever_."

Runo rubbed her arms and went back to wrapping boxes of pies. "No, I shouldn't. What I should do is clean up—ouch!"

"What happened?" Dan turned around and saw the half-opened new box of plastic wrap and Runo sucking on her index finger. "Runo, that's like the one thing to never do when you cut yourself! Do you know how many germs are in your mouth?" He set his omelet aside and dragged Runo over to the sink and got the water running. "Where's the first aid kit?"

"There's one in the shelf under the cash register. But Dan, it's just a few shallow puncture wounds."

"I know, but maybe if you weren't so busy and in such a hurry, you wouldn't have cut yourself. After all, today's only Day One of the holiday wave." He patted Runo's finger with a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide.

"That stings! And holiday wave? I don't know if I can handle it."

"Doesn't it usually occur at the end of the year, though?"

"Some people have to work on Christmas Day and maybe New Year, and this may be the only paid break they get before the year's over." Runo covered her finger with a bandage and stacked the boxes of pies. "Message Shun and tell them to come back. I'll let you eat _after_ you carry these boxes of pies outside with me."

Dan took his phone and grabbed a couple of boxes. "Whatever you say. I wish I didn't have to message them."

"Why?"

"Because...I think it'd be better if it was just the two of us."

"Suddenly, Runo set the boxes down and stopped walking. "You can't be serious..."

"What? I _am_ serious. Runo, no other guy out their will-"

"No, not that." She pointed to the stain she tripped on and trailed up the shelf to the layer where she was keeping the other food warm. "I was in such a hurry that must not have put the plates upright. The juices must've spilled over."

Dan came back from carrying boxes outside and held both of Runo's hands. "Relax, it's not the end of the world. We'll just mop the stain, clean the shelf, and wipe the food warmer. Besides, you told me to message Shun. That means they're coming back to eat."

"You're right." She wiped her eyes, even if she wasn't really crying. "At least you stayed behind."

"Well...if there wasn't any food here, then I'd ditch this place like Alice and Shun. You know that they left to go downtown because the food wasn't ready, right?"

Suddenly, Runo went from upset to furious and kicked Dan in _both_ shins. "That because they're went out _together_ rather by themselves! When will you ever do that with me?"

**MxMxM**

"Carry one, just in case."

Runo grumbled silently as her mother handed Runo an umbrella to carry. It was finally her lunch break, but it was warm and shining outside, so an umbrella seemed very useless and unreasonable. But Runo took it anyway and walked outside to meet with Dan.

"What did your mom say?" he asked.

"She insisted I carry this umbrella because the noon news said it'll rain soon." She looped the umbrella strap onto her wrist and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. "Hey, where did Shun and Alice go?"

"Then went to see the Christmas tree get set up. I think we should check that out later because it's broad daylight right now, and the tree probably isn't even off the truck of something."

Runo shot a glare at him. "Did I _say_ we were going to look at the tree?"

"It's implied."

"Why you-"

"Hey!" Dan held his hands up in defense and to tell Runo to back off. "Who was it that stayed behind and help you get through the morning crowd of people? Be glad that you actually have someone to spend your lunch break with."

"Oh, Dan. You never cease to be conceited." Runo leaned over to see what Dan was doing on his phone. "What? Did Shun message you?"

"No, just looking back at his messages. He said that he and Alice went to the shopping district downtown today to be the beautiful decorations, even in _broad_ daylight."

"Hmm. Let's go there then."

"I was just about to ask, but okay!"

In the shopping district, Runo and Dan entered Seventh Mist and were already fascinated by the decorations. The fountain in the center was strung all over with shiny tinsel, the stores' glass windows and doors were adhered with gel decorations and posters, and a giant 'Happy Holidays' banner hung on the glass balcony of the second floor.

"No wonder Shun said he wasn't coming back just yet this morning." Dan concluded. "This place is so attractive, even to a guy."

"So you're saying that these decorations beat Alice? Puh-lease. Alice probably wanted to stay here longer, and Shun agreed to it. Let's walk around the first floor first."

"Well, _duh_. Why do you always say it's the guy's fault for everything being delayed? Can't Shun like something this pretty for once?"

"Says the person who's been many more times the center of attention than _me_." Emphasis on the last word.

"Come on, Runo. You know I love you forever and always, right?"

"Says the person who's been many more times the center of attention than _me_." Emphasis on the last word again.

Despite the conversation getting nowhere, Runo and Dan had the peaceful time exploring the first floor and then went to the basement. This floor was darker since it was underground, and some stores actually had the decorations lights on.

"Hey Runo, you want to buy something?"

"Buy what?"

"Anything. You name it."

"Wait...are you trying to scam me? Don't pull another 'now you owe me' on me!" Having prior knowledge and experience, Runo chased Dan down the halls, but Dan just wouldn't slow down. "Get back here! If you don't stop this instant, then I won't get you anything for Christmas! And I'll convince the others to not to buy you anything either."

"I bet some people already bought me presents but just have to wait until the 25th to give them to me." It took him a moment to realize while he was resting that Runo wasn't chasing him. "Runo, what's wrong?"

"I forgot my phone, but I just remembered something important in my messages about some people coming over in the afternoon."

"Did they state a specific time?"

"That's what I don't remember. What time is it right now?"

Dan checked his phone. "1:07."

"And what time did we leave?"

Dan counted his fingers and answered, "12:50. That was after your mother gave you the weather lecture."

"Very funny, but we have to get back. I'm only allowed thirty minutes off, and I _think_ I either have friends, family, one of the other over. Why did I forget to bring my phone? I'm so disorganized. Just wait until when we get closer to Christmas when more people will be coming over, and-"

"Runo." Dan grabbed her tight on the arms and shook her gently. "_Relax_. Like I said, it's _not_ the end of the world. We have eight—more like seven now—minutes to get back. Maybe even faster if we run. But Runo, you're stressing yourself too much! For real!"

"It's not stress. It's knowing that I have work to do, yet I'm not _doing _it. I'm wasting my time. It feels like during the holidays, I get more break time from school, but then I have to work in the diner, and I lose track of time really easily."

"Runo, spending your break here is _not_ a waste of time." Dan hugged her snugly and patted her head. "We can always buy stuff another time. Right now, let's get back. No need to be in such a hurry."

"But I have to..."

"Haste makes waste. Now let's get back before your mom yells at us because I don't want her blaming me for your lack of punctuality and possibly forcing you to kick me out of your life."

"My god, 'punctuality'? You and your big words." However, the sunlight wasn't the only thing unseen from the basement floor. It was raining, just like what Runo's mom said. "Well, isn't the rain 'punctual.'"

"So let's share the umbrella then."

Runo glared at him.

"There's always a first time for everything, right?"

"Whatever." Runo undid the velcro strap and propped the umbrella open. Sharing an umbrella couldn't be that bad.

**MxMxM**

Runo, her mom, and her dad greeted the 'special guests' goodbye and prepared the diner for the dinner shift at five, a couple hours away, when more people often came over for dinner together .

"We almost thought you forgot, Runo. _We_ forgot to tell you, so it was partly our fault." her dad admitted. "Luckily, you have a wonderful boyfriend to remind and bring you back."

"Dad, Dan's _not_ my boyfriend." Runo clarified. "Plus, it was his fault for wasting time, so it was natural of him to bring me back. It was _his_ responsibility."

"Really? Because I heard it was _you_ who said you to should go visit the malls." her mom said.

"That's it. I'm done talking with you." Runo got up from her seat and stretched her arms. She watched to the kitchen to get something to eat but then heard a noise. "Who's there?"

"Hey!" Runo immediately groaned upon hearing Dan's voice and seeing him at the kitchen entrance. "What? Not happy to see me? Fine, I'll leave."

"Wait, _don't _leave." Dan stopped moving, and Runo walked over. "Thanks for helping me today."

"With what?"

"Don't denying it! I was about to have a mental breakdown, but then you just...well...told me that it's nothing to worry about."

"I did? I must've been very impressive today, huh? By the way, what was the important meeting you had today?"

"Oh, _that_. My dad's friend and former coworker came over today, and so did a couple of my other friend. Basically had to be here to cook what they ordered." She lifted the cover of the pot of stew. "You hungry?"

"Nah, I'm going home soon. Today wasn't too crazy, was it?"

"Working by myself, _yes_. I'll have to ask Julie or Mira to share my shifts with me. Are you going home now?"

"Now? I guess so. Why?"

Runo put back the cover and grabbed a food container from the refrigerator. "Just some leftover cherry pie from today. There was only one cherry pie opened for the entire day, yet it's not finished. Take it."

"Gee, thanks. You sure you can handle the dinner shift."

"I'm sure. Bye Dan."

Dan grabbed the container and kissed Runo on the forehead. "See you tomorrow, kabob stick. Don't have a mental breakdown."

Of course, by now, Runo knew better than to do that.

* * *

**Runo's only a kid; she should be working _that_ much. It's just that when you have no school, some parents will do anything to give you stuff to do since we're so "unoccupied," but that's not always the case. November's not really the month of holidays yet, but December definitely is. Wish you all a happy holiday! Review! Visit the forum!**


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